Return date set

ALL AFL players will be tested for coronavirus twice a week as the competition resumes on June 11, the league’s chief executive Gillon McLachlan says.
Players will resume modified training from Monday in groups of up to eight, with full contact training from May 25, McLachlan says.
An initial four-week block of...

PORT Adelaide would prefer relocating to Queensland for the AFL season restart but club president David Koch claims they will be severely disadvantaged no matter where they set up their quarantine hub.
The AFL’s plan to announce the competition’s reboot on Thursday was thrown into chaos when South Australian health officials refused...

THE AFL has ordered every listed player to be tested for COVID-19 by Friday before clubs possibly return to full contact training with complete squads next week.
The mandatory coronavirus tests are to be completed as part of the AFL’s return-to-play plan, which is still being finalised.
An official announcement on the...

SIXTEEN Adelaide players who broke the AFL’s coronavirus training protocols have copped a one-game ban, which has been suspended for the rest of the season.
And Adelaide assistant coach Ben Hart has been stood down from coaching for the next six weeks for his involvement in last week’s botched training at the...

SYDNEY superstar Lance Franklin is ready for round two of the AFL season, while fellow forward Sam Reid may also be in the mix after recovering from knee surgery during the COVID-19 stoppage.
Franklin underwent a knee arthroscopy in January and wasn’t able to take part in the Swans’ season-opening victory over...

VICTORIAN Premier Daniel Andrews has opened the door for AFL players to train in groups of 10 from Wednesday as the competition eyes a possible restart next month.
The move brings Victoria into line with other states, with the AFL now able to lift the training limit in the state from...

THE AFL and Adelaide are investigating a potential breach of the league’s training protocols by a group of Crows players.
The Crows have 16 players quarantining for 14 days in a Barossa Valley resort – which is temporarily closed to the public – after they returned from interstate on Monday.
AFL players are...

MARCUS Bontempelli aims to stay “genuine” and “authentic” throughout an unusual start to life as Western Bulldogs captain during the AFL shutdown.
The 24-year-old took the reins from premiership teammate Easton Wood before the 2020 campaign and has already faced some difficult challenges, including working through the fallout from Lachie Hunter’s...

EDDIE Betts has been racially abused online three times this year but is determined to continue being an Indigenous leader in the face of vicious taunting.
The veteran Carlton livewire, who is in his 16th AFL season, wants to leave a legacy for young Indigenous footballers to feel safe in professional...

GEELONG coach Chris Scott says the perfect preparation for the 2020 premiership season doesn’t exist as AFL clubs scramble to get their players ready to emerge from the COVID-19 shutdown.
The AFL has allowed a three-week mini-preseason for clubs to prepare their players for the resumption of a compressed 17-round season...

WESTERN Bulldogs have called all players back to Melbourne to prepare for an AFL season restart.
The move comes amid growing optimism that the 2020 season – which was put on hold on March 21 – could resume next month.
The AFL has floated its controversial quarantine hubs proposal but is hopeful it...